Keyboard shortcut for the Windows Explorer address bar

Question

Is there a keyboard shortcut in Windows Explorer (Windows 7), to put the cursor into the address bar (where the current path is shown)?

score 121 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 11 '16 at 15:11

121

Found it, it's possible with the following two shortcuts:

Alt+D selects the current path in English versions (see comments for other languages)
on Windows 8, Ctrl+L can also be used to select the current path (all languages)
F4 will put the cursor at the end of the current path and expand the dropdown list of the address bar (all languages)

BTW: here's a complete list of keyboard shortcuts in windows 7: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Keyboard-shortcuts

edited Feb 11 '16 at 15:11

Marcus Mangelsdorf

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answered Sep 08 '10 at 06:46

M4N

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Those shortcuts also work on IE, and ALT+D works on all browsers. – paradroid Sep 08 '10 at 07:00
BTW,, if you accept your own answer, you get one of those bronze badges, I think. – paradroid Sep 08 '10 at 07:10
sad i was just going to answer this but glad you finally found it – subanki Sep 08 '10 at 10:41
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Alt+D doesn't work on non-English versions of Windows 7 (tried on Brazilian Portuguese and German, probably affects others). – muriloq Oct 25 '11 at 18:48
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Alt+D doesn't work in Ukrainian and Russian versions as well. – kolobok Jul 14 '13 at 20:14
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[Alt+E works in the German Windows 7](http://superuser.com/a/309293/226237) – handle Jun 24 '15 at 06:22
Alt+D works well in Spanish version of Windows 7. – Akronix Aug 22 '16 at 08:42
F4, Esc seems to work on French Windows 7. So does Ctrl+E, Alt+A – Joe Sep 14 '16 at 12:22
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The link for the shortcuts is broken. [This one works](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/12445/windows-keyboard-shortcuts) – Chrᴉz remembers Monica Jul 25 '18 at 08:55

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 20 '13 at 05:44

5

If you're using non-English version, you can use AutoHotkey with this script:

#IfWinActive ahk_class CabinetWClass
   !d::ControlClick,ToolbarWindow322
return

edited Oct 20 '13 at 05:44

phuclv

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answered Oct 20 '13 at 00:28

epifun

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I went with `^l::` for Control+L. – Marc.2377 Dec 20 '18 at 12:55
For anyone stumbling on this in late 2020 (and possibly later), it should now be `ToolbarWindow323` instead of `ToolbarWindow322`. – Jeto Dec 23 '20 at 15:10

score 3 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 17 '14 at 16:32

3

Another AutoHotKey solution based on the one from @epifun

@epifun 's solution does not work if the address in the addressbar is very long.

#IfWinActive ahk_class CabinetWClass
   !d::
   ControlFocus, ToolbarWindow322
   send {space}
return

answered Mar 17 '14 at 16:32

Thomas Schreiner

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For anyone stumbling on this in late 2020 (and possibly later), it should now be `ToolbarWindow323` instead of `ToolbarWindow322`. – Jeto Dec 23 '20 at 15:11

score 2 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 08 '10 at 06:46

2

I can't verify this myself at the moment since I'm using Mac OS X, but this webpage suggests that Alt-D is what you're looking for (see section "Windows Explorer keyboard shortcuts").

answered Sep 08 '10 at 06:46

Lawrence Velázquez

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score 2 · Answer 5 · edited Mar 07 '21 at 22:10

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Ctrl+L seems to be working in many browsers, in File Explorer too. It's in Windows 8 (in Windows 7 it does not work).

edited Mar 07 '21 at 22:10

ZygD

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answered Oct 20 '13 at 01:19

pbies

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That's because in Windows 7 one is still able to reach it by cycling via `F6` between panes, while in Windows 10 you have no chance other than by using `CTRL+L`. – AmigoJack Feb 09 '23 at 09:49

score -2 · Answer 6 · edited May 19 '15 at 19:06

-2

F6 does the trick for me.

(PC, successive versions of Windows including 8.1, as I write.)

edited May 19 '15 at 19:06

studiohack

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answered May 19 '15 at 16:00

LeahNYC

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F6 changes focus to the column header for me in Windows 7. – Jason Aller May 19 '15 at 16:57
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Windows 8.1 here and F6 doesn't work for me. It seems to select the next Windows pane, similar to pressing Tab. I believe your solution is for Internet Explorer (not Windows Explorer) and other browsers, where F6 does change focus to the Address Bar. – Josh May 19 '15 at 17:59
Have you guys pressed `F6` repeatedly? `Tab` is for controls, `F6` for whole regions/panes - both are relative (as per current focus), not absolute. Try handling programs like _Outlook_ with keyboard alone - then you'll notice how `F6` is intended. – AmigoJack Feb 09 '23 at 09:52

Keyboard shortcut for the Windows Explorer address bar

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